18 Daisies
by track4me13
Summary: It's Bella's birthday and there are lots of surprises for her- which she hates. What's the one surprise she won't mind? ExB AH slightly OOC. Disclaimer: Don't own anything- it's all Stephanie's!


BPOV

I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring; I moaned as I rolled out of bed and went to my dresser to shut it off. Blearily, I grabbed my towel and shower gear and stumbled to the bathroom. I stood in the shower, slowly becoming more conscious and then, I remembered, today was my birthday. I wasn't thrilled, because people would make a big fuss about it at school, but also, I'm now 18, I can vote and I'm a legal adult! Not like I wanted to, but I could also buy cigarettes and porn…

As I got out of the shower I heard a car pulling away and figured it was my dad, Charlie. When I got to my room, I was startled to see that it was sunny and that there was an orange gerbera daisy on my dresser. I figured that it was from Charlie, nice of him to not make a big deal, but to still remember. I dressed in my favorite jeans with a white lace camisole and deep blue shirt that contrasts with my chocolate brown hair and eyes nicely. As I went downstairs I discovered another gerbera daisy on the kitchen table. 'Aww, Charlie,' I thought, 'who knew you were such a softie?

After a quick breakfast, I grabbed my books and left for school. I opened the door onto the front porch and nearly stepped on another daisy. As I got to my car, there was another daisy in the door handle and yet another on my seat. Just before I started the car my phone buzzed and a text popped up, "Happy b-day babe, we're going to dinner tonight, it's a surprise. Look hot." I sighed, my boyfriend Mike could be such an ass sometimes.

'Look hot?" I couldn't help but think that my best friend Edward would never say that to me.

I got to school at the same time Edward, and his siblings Alice and Emmett were pulling in. Alice's boyfriend, Jasper, and his sister Rosalie, Emmet's girlfriend, were already there, waiting.

As I got out of my car they all cried "Happy Birthday Bella!"

"Shhh! I don't want everyone to know! It's bad enough that Mike wants to take me out tonight."

"Well, at least it's sunny out today Bella. It looks like even the weather is celebrating your birthday."

I got hugs from all of them and headed off to my locker with Alice on our way to English. To my surprise, there was another daisy in the vents of my locker and yet another one on the shelf inside it.

"Well, it can't be Charlie than, can it?" I muttered to myself.

"What was that Bella?" Alice asked.

"Oh, it's nothing, I've found," I paused as I quickly tallied up the number of flowers, "seven gerbera daisies on my way around the house and school today."

"Bella! That's so romantic! It must be from Mike for your birthday!!"

"Maybe," I really like Mike, don't get me wrong, but I didn't think he was that romantic.

As we walked in to English I found yet another daisy on my desk. I put it in my bag and tried to focus on the class. We were discussing _Jane Eyre_ and I loved the book, but we had covered it in Phoenix before I left so I was pretty familiar with the themes that we were discussing.

I had my next class, History, with Edward and Alice, and I found another daisy on my desk there and in History and Calculus. By now it was starting to really get on my nerves, I now had eight daisies poking out of my backpack. My last class of the morning, Spanish, was with Mike and his friend Jessica, who had never really warmed up to me. I walked in at the same time Mike did and he grabbed me and gave me a big, sloppy kiss, he knew I didn't like public displays of affection, yet he still insisted on doing it almost every day.

Jessica stole Mike away and started an in-depth conversation with him so I made my way to my seat and there was another daisy! I tried to get Mike's attention but Jessica had him strongly in her grasp. I took notes all through class and, Mike left me to go sit with Jessica at lunch. I didn't really mind because he didn't get along well with Edward and Emmett. As I got to my usual seat at our table, there was another daisy. The total was up to a dozen, so I figured the embarrassment was over for the day. As Edward and I walked to Biology, I quickly stopped by my locker and there was another daisy! I shoved it gently into my bag, this was getting frustrating, and as I walked, silently fuming, into Biology, there was yet another daisy on my lab table. I noticed Edward looked slightly amused.

"What?"

"Oh, it's just funny to see you so annoyed by this, I mean come on Bella, they're just flowers."

"Oh, it's not only that. You know how I hate surprises Edward. Well Mike is taking me out to dinner in Port Angeles tonight and he won't tell me where, he told me to 'look hot'."

Edward's eyes darkened, as his sweet, beautiful face was marred by an angry look that was quickly smoothed away. I was puzzled, but it quickly faded as Mr. Banner called the class to attention. Mike met Edward and I outside the classroom and as Edward walked off to French, Mike and I walked to the gym. As we walked Mike railed on about Edward.

"Bella, you know I don't like him. The way he looks at you, he's so possessive and I just don't trust him. You shouldn't hang out with him Bella.

I grimaced, this was getting really old. "Mike, Edward is my best friend. I've known him since the very first day I moved here. You just don't like Edward because he always beats you in the fitness testing and because he got the captain's spot on the football team this year."

"No, well, never mind! I still don't like him Bella. I don't want you spending time alone with him!"

"Well I'm sorry, _sweetie_," I spat, "but you knew he was my best friend from the moment you started dating me. It's not going to change.

"Look, Izzy," I grimaced, hating that nickname, "I don't want to fight, it's your birthday. Look what I got you," We stopped at his locker and he pulled out a dozen carnations, sweet but, come on, really? Carnations?

"Thanks hun," I said, kissing him on the cheek, "will you at least tell me where we're going for dinner?"

"No, that's a surprise. Oh, and I've got something to do in Port Angeles before dinner so do you think you could drive yourself?"

"Sure. See you there, 6:30?"

"Yup!"

Before I walked into the locker room to change for class, Mike grabbed me and pushed me up against the wall, kissing me forcefully and shoving his tongue in my mouth. I could taste the garlic and onions he had for lunch on his breath, gross.

"Mike, get off! You know how I feel about that!"

"What Izz? I'm just trying to show you how much I love you?"

"Well can you do it in a less public place?" As I walked into the locker room and stopped in front of my gym locker, there was yet another daisy! The total was fifteen now!

Gym went fairly well considering we were doing yoga. Anything not involving running or balls was much better in my book, although I did manage to tip over a few times.

"Honestly Alice," I said, walking out of the school, "the severely uncoordinated should get doctor's notes exempting them from gym class!"

"You really are extremely clumsy Bella! Anyways, what are you wearing tonight?"

"I don't know Alice. Mike said 'look hot' but I have no idea what that means."

Alice ended up coming home with me and helped me pick out my outfit. We found three more daisies, one in my truck again, one on the front door and, an eighteenth on my pillow. Rose came over after cheer practice and helped with my hair. I quickly put together some lasagna for Charlie and wrote out clear directions to him on how to cook it. Since, it was a Friday, my curfew was 1 and I had no idea what Mike had in store.

I left the house with plenty of time and made my way to Port Angeles. I met Mike on Main St. and we started walking down the road. Mike pulled me to a stop in front of a restaurant I didn't know, El Mesa Verde. I groaned inwardly, I _hate_ Mexican food up here, on a trip to Seattle with Alice and Edward we all went to a restaurant and it made me so sick. In Phoenix, it was authentic but up here it was so fake, and it was all jalapeños, no real flavorings.

"Ta-da!" Mike said, he looked thrilled with his choice, I could remember only too well him going on about the Mexican food he ate on a trip to Portland. Dinner was okay. I mostly survived by slipping food under the large sombrero garnish and slipping it into my napkin. I was regretting wearing a skirt though, Mike had insisted we be seated in a booth and he kept trying to slip his hand up my skirt on my thigh all through dinner, no matter how many times I told him no, or swatted his hand away. 'Edward would never to this to a girl' I told myself sadly.

It was still pretty early when after we had finished our soggy, heavy fried ice cream and so we went for a walk on the boardwalk. Somehow we ended up in his car, which was conveniently (for Mike at least) parked on the overlook, which gave a great look of Port Angeles Harbor. We watched the ferry from Canada come in and then as I was watching a tugboat chug by, Mike threw himself on me. I tried to enjoy it, but it was gross. I grimaced, thinking, Edward would never do this. He was almost on top of me, trying to force my skirt up and shirt down.

"GOD Mike! Get off me!!!" I screamed.

"What Izzy?!"

"Mike I don't want to do this!"

"Aw, come on Izz, we've been dating for a month and a half! Don't you love me?"

"Mike, if you knew me at all you would know that I don't like this. I HATE when you call me Izzy or Izz and you know how uncomfortable with PDA and yet you continue to force yourself on me in front of people. I know you want Jessica too! I've seen the way you look at her! I also HATE the Mexican food up here, you should know that I grew up in Phoenix, where the real Mexican food is. Then for my birthday, you get me carnations! Mike, I've gotten better gifts from my 8th grade "boyfriend" than carnations. You couldn't say 'I'm cheap and don't want to get my girlfriend something nice' any more than you could by buying me flowers."

"Look, Izz—"

"Stop calling me that!"

"FINE!" He was shouting now too, "you are such a frigid bitch, you know I hate Edward and yet you still spend time with him-"

"Well I have news for you there Mike! Edward knows that I hate Mexican food, he knows that I draw the line at hugs in public and he know that I hate being called Izz or Izzy. You know what Mike; I've had enough of your bullshit, Mike. I'm through." With that I the door and stormed down the street. I got in my truck and drove home, fuming.

And then, as I was driving past the Cullens' driveway, it hit me. I had been comparing Mike to Edward all day, and really, if I was honest with myself, since the beginning of Mike's and my relationship. There was no competition. Where Mike was callous, Edward was kind. Where Mike was uncouth, Edward was gentlemanly. They were exact opposites in every way. It also hit me that I had exact opposite feelings for the two boys. Where I felt strong dislike for Mike, I now realized that I loved Edward as more than a best friend. I was in love with Edward!

The next truth came to mind though, I couldn't confess to Edward that I was in love with him; it would completely spoil what we had.

As I pulled into my driveway, nearly crying with all the emotions I had pent up inside me for so long, I saw a silver Volvo on the curb. My house was dark, and since the drive was empty of Charlie's cruiser, I realized he must have gone down to the Black's to watch the game. I parked my car and saw a lone figure with rumpled hair sitting on the steps, Edward?

I got out of my truck and he bounded over to me. "Bella! I need to tell you something!

"Look Edward, if this is about Mike-

"No! Bella, I'm in love with you! I've loved you ever since I first met you and it kills me to see you with him. He treats you like dirt and I can't stand him, he's not good enough for you! I realize that you'll probably hate me and that Mike is probably coming now in his own car but I just had to tell you. Bella it was me, I left you those daisies. Bella, I love you, but I'll go now." He walked dejectedly towards his car.

I stood dumbstruck for about ten seconds. "Edward, wait!" I ran to catch up, tripping over something. He caught me and pulled me up, it felt so natural to be held in his strong, warm arms. "I love you too! I broke up with Mike, and I realized that the whole time we dated I was comparing him to you and he couldn't meet those standards. Edward, you're the one for me!" With that, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him with all the love and passion that I could muster.

He responded enthusiastically, kissing me and picking me up. He pulled away, shyly asking, "Bella, will you be my girlfriend?"

I had made a little groan at losing contact with his lips but with that question my I said, "Oh, yes Edward, yes I w-"but my response was cut off by his lips rejoining mine.

After a few more minutes of kissing, Edward pulled away again. "Happy Birthday Bella" he said, reaching into his car and grabbing a small wrapped box.

"Edward, you didn't have to, you already got me the flowers"

"Well then just consider this as a more permanent reminder of the flowers then." Puzzled, I opened the present and found a little box. Inside was a silver necklace with a pendant on it of an orange gerbera daisy, an exact replica of the flowers he bought me but in enameled silver.

"Oh Edward, it's beautiful! Thank you so much!" I kissed him again, but this time it was slower, and sweeter, a promise of the love that would come. It felt like nothing could go wrong now, I was with Edward. We were together at last and no one could tear us apart.

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**AN:**

**This story just came to me on the drive home from work. Don't be too mean! It's my first fanfic ! R&R!!!  
**


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